Immediately after surgery, there may be some pain, which can be treated by a prescription from the plastic surgeon. If the pain is more severe, additional follow-up visits may be scheduled.
Loss of Breast and Nipple Sensation
Surgery may increase the possibility of reduced blood supply or nerve damage to the breast or the nipple. If this occurs, sensation can be temporarily or permanently lost in areas of the breast or the nipple or both.
For very large breasts, it may not be possible to move the nipple and areola while leaving them attached to the nerves and blood vessels. In these cases, the nipple and areola may be removed and grafted into a new location on the breast, which may cause permanent loss of sensation.
There is also a risk that breastfeeding will not be possible after surgery.
Permanent Scarring
Another side effect of breast reduction surgery is that it leaves permanent scars on the breasts. The vertical and horizontal scars are most visible, and scars remain after the breast is completely healed. Smoking blocks oxygen received by the body during the healing process, so for smokers, breast surgery scars are typically larger and less smooth. Any internal bleeding or excessive bruising caused by breast reduction surgery may also lead to increased scar size.
Some women are able to have a surgical procedure that requires fewer incisions, or incisions that are not as long. If the breast skin is elastic and the breasts are not too large, then liposuction can be used to remove the fatty tissue and shorter incisions can be used.
Breast Asymmetry
Another possible side effect of reduction plastic surgery is that the breasts may not be symmetric in size and shape after surgery. Also, the nipple may not be positioned properly, or the nipples may not be the same height.
During the procedure, the surgeon must remove a considerable portion of tissue and move the nipple while the patient is in a lying position. Advanced surgical skill is needed to estimate the exact nipple location and size-and-shape change, so that the breasts are symmetric when the patient returns to an upright position.
A board-certified plastic surgeon can answer your questions about breast reduction side effects. An experienced plastic surgeon who has performed many breast reductions is less likely to leave excessive scarring, breast asymmetry, or damage to the nerves and blood vessels. Be sure to ask about your surgeon's background and experience with this procedure.
Breast Feeding
Many breast implant patients successfully breastfeed; however, breast implants may interfere with breast feeding. Tell your plastic surgeon about plans to breastfeed because it may impact the surgical technique.
There is a risk that breast implants may impede breast cancer detection. During mammography, X-ray, or ultrasound the implants could hide suspicious tumors or lesions. Treatment providers must take special care of breast-implant patients during breast exams. Additional views are required, which take additional time for imaging. When you make a mammography appointment, tell the receptionist about the implants so they can schedule the extra time.
The radiologist needs to use special imaging: "Eklund displacement views." Eklund views maximize what is seen of the breast tissue to better detect tumors or lesions. Eklund views are done in addition to the standard views.
Just before the actual mammograms begin, tell the radiology technician about the breast implants. This helps ensure that the technician includes Eklund displacement views in the examination.
Mammography also compresses the breasts, which increases the chance of a rupture.
Loss of Sensation
After breast surgery, some implant patients experience loss of sensation in the nipple and breast area. Loss of sensation results from damage to nerve endings in the breast and nipple. The loss of sensation is often temporary, but it can be permanent. The surgical technique can play a role in this complication. Your surgeon can determine the most appropriate implant and surgical technique to minimize loss of sensation. Read more about the breast sensitivity side effect.
Leaking or Leaching of Breast Implant Material
There have been studies of possible harmful effects of breast implant materials leaking or leaching into the surrounding breast tissue. The studies concluded that there is insufficient evidence of harmful effects for implant materials that are approved by the FDA. These FDA-approved materials are also widely used in other types of medical implants, including pacemakers, intraocular lenses, artificial joints, and other medical devices.
Rupture
No implant will last forever. Implants can break or rupture, causing deflation. Many ruptures result from the natural aging of the implant, excessive compression to the breast, or trauma to the breast. The most noticeable effect is that the size and shape of the breast change. Depending on the size of the rupture, changes in breast appearance can occur over a few days or over a very long period of time.
Mammography sometimes compresses the breast implant enough to cause rupture. According to the FDA and medical literature, there were reports of 58 breast implant ruptures during mammography from 1992 to 2002. Technicians must take special care to ensure that excessive pressure is not placed on the breasts.
Typically, surgery is needed to remove a deflated breast implant. Most women decide to have the implants replaced. For those women who do not have their implants replaced, dimpling or puckering of the breast may appear following removal.
Ask Your Doctor
Before you have surgery, discuss possible side effects with a board-certified plastic surgeon who has experience in breast augmentation. Selecting the right plastic surgeon, following pre- and post-operative instructions, and setting realistic expectations for your implant size and shape, can help you avoid side effects.
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